DELL is the big news today

From Dell's 2012 Annual Report:

Fiscal year 2012 marked the best financial performance in our history. Revenue was $62.1 billion, up one percent from fiscal year 11, and gross margin dollars, operating income and earnings per share rose to record levels. Our enterprise solutions and services business, a bellwether for execution of our strategy, grew six percent to $18.6 billion, and was nearly 30 percent of revenue and almost half of gross margin dollars. Services revenue was up 8 percent, with 75 percent growth year-over-year in new contract signings.

GAAP operating income climbed 29 percent to $4.4 billion, or 7.1 percent of revenue, and non-GAAP operating income rose 24 percent to $5.1 billion, or 8.3 percent of revenue. We delivered GAAP EPS of $1.88, an increase of 39 percent, and non-GAAP EPS of $2.13, up 34 percent. Cash flow from operations grew 39 percent to $5.5 billion, and we finished the year with $18.2 billion in cash and investments.

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TODAY's announcement that Dell is going private, for $24.4B, is a 'sad denouement" for the number 3 PC maker

Lesse now, they just fell from 12.5% to 10.0% of PC share last quarter ("Best Financial Performance in Our History?".  And their stock was down to $9.13 in November, which gave them a market cap of $16B for a $62B revenue company.  Hummn, just about the same ratio at HP toady, at $120B rev and $32.4B market cap.

So, if your're looking for analogous situations to HP's poor performance, this one qualifies.  But up to 30% now for Dell in "enterprise services" -- isn't that the bet being placed by Meg and team?  It surely cannot be tablets.